The Ranking Member of the Appointments Committee of Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has faced backlash from some Ghanaians following remarks he made during the vetting of Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, the Minister of Defence-designate.
During the committee’s sitting on January 28, 2025, and the vetting of Dr. Omane Boamah, Afenyo-Markin once again conducted his characteristic intense and thorough scrutiny of the nominee.
Among other points, the lawmaker presented documents containing Dr. Omane Boamah's social media comments and questioned him about statements he had made publicly in the four-hour process.
In an effort to ease the tense atmosphere, the Effutu Member of Parliament made a remark cautioning Dr. Omane Boamah not to retaliate against his intense vetting by denying him slots for protocol enlistment into the security services.
“Let me remind you on a lighter note, that the fact I’m grilling you doesn’t mean when you get there [ministry] and you are supposed to give protocol allocations you deny me. I'm telling you, you cannot,” he said.
His statement did not sit well with other committee members, who sought to verify whether his claims were accurate.
Afenyo-Markin stood by his assertion, clarifying that his comments referred to previous committees, where he alleged that NDC members of the committee received more protocol enlistment slots than their NPP counterparts.
“There is something like that and committee members benefitted. When I was a defence committee member, your members benefitted. I am saying it on authority, they did which they [NDC] benefitted more than the NPP members. That is a fact. Kennedy Agyapong was a chair of the defence and interior committee so I’m telling you that don’t think because I grilled you, you will not allocate a slot for me,” he boldly said.
His comments, however, have sparked public outrage on social media, with critics arguing that the lawmaker publicly exposed the corrupt practices allegedly being carried out by lawmakers.
Critics argue that the allocation of protocol slots to parliamentarians in the recruitment of security agencies amounts to corruption, condemning the lawmaker for making such statements without any accountability.
Others have raised concerns that the claims cast doubt on the integrity of the committee, criticising them for seemingly engaging in corrupt practices just hours after publicly distancing themselves from bribery allegations made by Barker-Vormawor.
Read the posts below:
You sit on public tv to admit to protocol enlistment into the army yet you were up in arms defending that, the appointment committee didn’t take bribes from the nominees! You can’t excused yourself from from such accusations & turn around to ask for what constitutes corruption. https://t.co/Qzi6hjkSln
— 2legit (@Inkredible_B) January 28, 2025
The committee that celebrates protocol recruitment into the military wants to question Oliver for a Facebook post. No standards - just rabble rousing.
— Che🇬🇭 (@CheEsquire) January 28, 2025
And they all laughed (not even a single soul in that room thought it was the wrong thing to say).
— Benjamin Darko (@BenAkuffoDarko) January 28, 2025
That's all they do in Parliament.
Just cut deals, write bad laws, and shout "y333y3".
🫤 https://t.co/SbPS2yFWMG
chale we’re cooked as a nation. The fact that they are comfortable to talk about this on public television o. Herhhhh https://t.co/MaDGhThbVV
— Bob ひ (@thearmah_) January 28, 2025
Mp openly admitting to corruption but God forbid one of them is called silly https://t.co/izgDHDqHzo
— EL Roi (@nharnarh_quasi) January 28, 2025
In any serious democracy this statement bu the minority leader will lead to a public inquiry into recruitment into the military. Ghana is a joke - a complete joke. Just look at this . https://t.co/S1t2om7zdE
— Che🇬🇭 (@CheEsquire) January 28, 2025
Corruption, bribery and abuse of power disguised as protocol enlistment.
— Timothy Selikem K. Donkor (@DonkorKorku) January 28, 2025
What moral authority does this person have to question any allegation of corruption and bribery?
What law permits him to enjoy protocol enlistment?
What a nonsense Republic we live in! https://t.co/bQeEj5BF4n
Lmao Ghanaian politicians smh, how does he feel comfortable saying this in public like it’s something normal.
— KOBINA (@kobinaMens2) January 29, 2025
You are proud that, there’s some protocol for you to recruit some people of your choice into the army.
Disgraceful. https://t.co/3JX9GlrUsY
In any serious country, comments about protocol recruitment into the military by a legislator on live TV is enough grounds to warrant an investigation. But you know why they were all laughing? It’s the bitter truth and they know we can’t do foko! https://t.co/mThJFUYhtL
— Reforce Okwei (@Mr_Okwei92) January 28, 2025
Nah, it's funny. Oh. But they want someone to present evidence because he accused them of bribery. https://t.co/Ws0AVjwiAk
— Deladem (@Delafred) January 29, 2025
How can someone in a position of leadership be so reckless as to publicly discuss protocol enlistment into the Ghana Armed Forces? What hope do we have in fighting corruption when even those in power make careless comments like this? https://t.co/xwLwWBaHmg
— MacJordan 👨🏾💻🇨🇦🇬🇭 (@MacJordaN) January 28, 2025
MAG/EK
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